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J. B. STOBAEUS 8v F. C. WAKENHUTH. METHOD 0F AND PPARATUS FOR CARBONATING BEER. No. 478,176. Patented July 5, 1892.

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UNITEDL STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

JOHN B. STOBAEUS AND FREDERICK C. WAOKENHUTH, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNIVERSAL CARBONATIN G COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CARBONATING BEER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 478,176, dated July 5, 18.92.

Application led March 25, 1892.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN B. STOBAEUS and FREDERICK C. WACKENHUTH, citizens of the United States, residing at Newark, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Carbonating Beer, of which the following is a specification. v

Our invention consists in a new and improved method of carbonating beer and other malt liquors and apparatus for carrying on the same.

The methods and apparatus heretofore used for the manufacture of carbonated beverages are not suitable for brewing purposes, the conditions and result to be obtained being very diiferent. While the usual carbonated beverages are fully saturated at a comparatively high pressure, substantially the pressure maintained within the Vessels from which the beverages are to be dispensed, we have found it to loe essential that the beer as it comes from the ruh-cask or other receptacle should when carbonio acid is injected into it be at a pressure higher than the ultimate pressure in the kegs into which it is iilled and that the supply of carbonio acid should be less than what is required to fully saturate the beer under the conditions of temperature 4and pressure at the place of injection, so that when finally the pressure is reduced and the beer filled into kegs it shall be in the proper condition, shall not foam too much, and that the final pressure in the kegs shall be aboutiive to eight pounds. Excessive foaming of the beer, due to surcharge of carbonio acid, is particularly objectionable when the beer is to be drawn into bottles from the kegs. The method of impregnation to be suitable for breweries must be such that very large quantities of beer can be treated in a Very short time, as fast as the beer is racked into kegsabout twenty-five barrels per hour with one apparatus.

In carrying out our invention we use by preference apparatus substantially such as shown in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a complete apparatus partly in section. Fig.v 2 is a'longitudnal elevation of the charger B 1n Fig. l;

Serial No. 426,390. (No model.)

Fig. 3, a cross-section of the charger. Figs. 4L and 5 show other forms of chargers.

Similarletters indicate corresponding parts.

In Fig. l the letter A designates a cask for supplying ruh-beer under pressure to a carbonio-acid charger B; d, a pipe or hose leading from the cask A to the charger B; b and c, valves; d, a check-valve, and e a gage to indicate the pressure at the charger B.

C is a separating vessel or cask; f, a hose leading from the charger B to the top of the separator C; D, a filter of the usual construction, connected with the lower part of the cask O bya hoseg. From the iilter D a hose or pipe h leads to the double racking-pipes 1l, with valves or cocks j, through which the beer is passed into kegs E.

F is a tank to receive cylinders G, containing liquid carbonio acid, the tank to be filled ,with water at a temperature of about 70o Fahrenheit to prevent freezing of the carbonio acid when drawn off rapidly. Several cylinders G are by preference together connected to a receiver H, with pressure-gage K, and thence with a red ucing-valve I, with pressure- 'gage p. A pipe or tube m, with valve n, leads the gaseous carbonio acid from the reducing- Valve to the charger B. We show apparatus adapted to the use of liquid carbonio acid to supply the carbonio-acid gas. It is manifest, however, that carbonio acid may be supplied from any 'other suitable source under sufficient pressure. Figs. 2 and 3 show the charger B, Fig. l, ony a larger scale. As shown in these figures, the carbonio-acid pipe has two branches rfr, which enter the charger on two sides and discharge the carbonio acid more or less in the direction of the current in the charger.

o is a pipe or rubber tube leading from the top of the separator O to the charger B and.

entering thesame between the check-valvel CZ and the nozzles r r through a nozzle t.

Fig. 4 shows a differently constructed charger, the gas being injected at theend of the same through a valve V, with adjustable opening, the beer entering and leaving as indicated by arrows. Fig. 5 shows another modilication of the charger, in which M and N are two parts of IOO a casing with an interposed foraminous daphragm O, of Wire-gauze or other suitable material and u u nozzles for injecting carbonic acid into the current i n the chamber formed by the part M of the casing and the diaphragm O.

Ve supply beer from a cask-such as the cask A-at a fixed elevation above the carbonic-acid charger B and above the dischargevalves j, so as to have a substantially consiant head of liquid above the charger, which head is larger than the vertical distance between the charger and the rackingcocks j, so that by opening the cocks j the beer is caused to tlow through the apparatus. In practice we maintain at the charger from ten to twenty-[ive pounds pressure per square inch, by preference about twenty pounds. The pressure in the bunged kegs should4 be about from tive to eight pounds. XVhen it is inconvenient to supply beer from a higher level, we obtain the saine result-namely, a substantially constant heath-by maintaining' upon the surface ot the beer in the cask A gas-pressure (airpressure or carbonic-acid pressure) in the usual wellknown manner. From the charger B we discharge the beer against a Huid-resistance smaller than the fluid-pressure of supply, so that whenever the discharge-cocks j are opened a current is established from the cask A to the place ot' discharge. Into the current thus produced we inject carbonic-acid gas at the charger B, the pressure of the gas being so regulated as to prevent complete saturation of the beer at the pressure and temperature at the charger, as beer fully charged would be too much charged when the pressure decreases or the temperature is raised, as it generally is when the beer reaches the discharge. Any overcharging of the beer causes it to foam and strain the packages into which it may be placed. It is also important that the beer should not arrive fully charged at the filter, as the disengagement of gas due to the reduction of pressure would seriously interfere with the operation of the iilter. To insure complete absorption of the injected carbonic acid, the current from the charger B may be passed to a separator C through a hose f at least fifty feet long, one and one-halt` inch hose being generally used. The hosefis attached to and enters the cask or separator C at the top, while the beer passes off at or near the bottom through the hose g, leading to the lilter D. Within the separator such carbonic-acid gas as may not have been absorbed separates from the liquid and is by preference returned through pipe o and nozzle t into the fresh current of heer between the check-valve CZ and the carbonic-acid nozzles r r'. As shown, the nozzle t discharges in the direction ot' the current, so that the gas from the return-tube o is drawn into the current Whenever the velocity in the charger is sufficient. Instead of returning the unabsorbed gas into the current of beer it may occasionally be discharged through a blow-oit `cock fu on the separator.

Lrisate The iiow of carbonic acid isregulated by the reducing-Valve and by the Valve n. The reducing-Valve We generally adjust to close at a pressure of about forty pounds to the square inch; but when the current is turned on the gage p will generallyindicate about twenty pounds, about i the same as the pressure due to the total head. The proper adjustment is readily made by a practical brewer.

The filter may be dispensed with, also the separator. We prefer, however, to use both apparatus.

We do not in this speciication claim any specific construction of the charger, which may be varied in form.

What We claim as our invention, and desire .to secure by Letters Patent, is

1r. The continuous method of preparingbeer for the market, consisting in supplying ruhbeer from a vessel to a carbonic-acid charger under a substantially constant head,causing a current to flow from the vessel to the charger` `by allowing the beer to be discharged through a pipe against a fluid-resistance smaller than the pressure due to the constant head, inj ecting carbonic acid into the current thus produced in the charger, and passing the mixed beer and carbonic acid through a separator and through a ilter and discharging the same, substantially as specilied.

2. The continuous method of preparing beer for the market, consisting in supplying ruhbeer from a vessel to a carbonic-acid charger under a substantially constant head, causing a current to flow from the vessel to the charger by allowing the beer to be discharged through a pipe against a fluid-resistance smaller than the pressure due to the constant head, in jecting into the current thus produced in the charger carbonic acid gas 'under constant pressure so regulated as to prevent complete saturation under the conditions of pressure and temperature of the charger, and passing the mixed beer and carbonic acid on its Way to the place ot discharge through a separator, substantially as specified.

3. The continuous method of preparing beer for the market, consisting in supplying ruhbeer from a vessel to a carbonic-acidcharger under a substantially constanthead, causing a 'current to liow from the vessel to the charger by allowing the beer to be discharged through a pipe against a fluid-resistance smaller than the pressure due to the constant head, injecting into the current thus produced in the charger carbonicacid gas under constant pressure so regulated as to prevent complete saturation under the conditions of pressure and temperature at the charger, and passing the mixed beer and carbonic acid through a pipe and discharging the same, substantially as specified.

4. The continuous method of preparingbeer for the market, consisting in passing ruil-beer from a vessel through a pipe under substantially constant head, injecting carbonic-acid IOO gas into the beerin the pipe, passing the mixed beer and carbonio acid through a pipe against a resistance less than the pressure of the mixed beer and carbonic acid,and discharging it, substantially as specified.

5. In an apparatus for impregnating beer with carbonio acid, a vessel containing beer, a carbonio acid charger, a pipe or hose connecting the Vessel with the charger, means, substantially as described, for producing a substantially constant pressure at the charger, one or more nozzles -for injecting carbonio acid into the currentpassing through the charger, a separator, a pipe or hose leading from the charger to the top of the separator,

and an outlet at or near the bottom of the separator connected with a pipe or hose for carrying off the charged beer, substantially as shown and described.

6. In an apparatus for impregnating beer with carbonio acid, a vessel containing beer, a carbonio-acid charger, a pipe or hose connecting the vessel with the charger, means, substantially as described, for producing a substantially constant pressure at the charger, a check-valve at or near the charger, one or more nozzles for injecting carbonio acid into the current passing through the charger, a separating-Vessel, a pipe or hose leading from the charger to the top of the separator, a pipe or hose leading fromnear the bottom of the separator to a filter, and a pipe or hose leading from the filter to the place of discharge, substantially as shown and described.

7. In an apparatus for impregnating beer with carbonicacid, a Vessel'containing beer, a carbonic-'acid'chargen a pipe Vor hose `con` necting the vessel with the charger, means, substantially as described,'for producing a substantially constant duid-pressure at Athe charger, a check-valve at or near the charger, 

